Little Bird

Little Bird could easily have a blog all its own! I built Little Bird from scratch in my basement. It took five and a half years and 2,550 hours to build it. I made everything but the instruments, engine, propeller, and wheels from tubing, sheet metal, rivets, bolts, etc. I have over 500 photos of the construction but I will not attempt to put them here.

The plane is a 3/4 scale replica of a 1918 Fokker D-VIII fighter from WWI. Those are WWI German (NOT nazi to be clear for the morons out there) markings on the plane, it seems obvious to me but it seems most people have no idea. The plane is powered by a 60 horsepower flat twin air and oil cooled engine made by HKS of Japan. It swings a 72" mahoghany propeller, which was custom-made in Oregon and weighs just under 4 pounds! Little Bird will get off the ground in 100 feet, and climb like the Space Shuttle. Unfortunately, when the power is pulled back it sinks like the Space Shuttle (can you say b-r-i-c-k). It is very, very challenging to fly to say the least. It's not my fault, it's the fault of the design.

Little Bird is disassembled now and waiting for the hanger to be built at my house. I can't wait to put it all back together again!

(the origin of the name should be self-explanatory. It wasn't called Little Bird until Big Bird flew home)

Cheers!

Sam